Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-04-16
and You


she had cared after all. and yet
"Iou went out again so soon" ne
said. doubtfully.
And could help that?" The girl
clasped her hands and looked steadi
ly at him with great SOrrowful eyes.
You were always with your books;
and could bear TO live alone in these
rooms, where every chair that
her hands had touched, every picture
that her eyes had seen, spoke TO me OF
my lost darling! No: | would 20 70
dances, theatres, anywhere where she
had never been, and therefore could
not haunt me-"
"Nou might aave come 70 me|'
ITO your" The dreary little laugh
with which sIe echoed his words was
not good to hear. "You had your
work. You had never asked me 70 90
TO the library; you had always left
me alone
ChallOner's face had grown very
white. "NIadge.' he SAID sOiemnly,
God is my witness that If nave
wronged you, it was through a mis-.
taken love, and not through careless
ness. When we-married the loving
stress he laid upon the word was not
lost upon the girl, although her face
was turned from him. Sarah Impress
ed upon me that If pursued a plan
| had already suggested to her, and
asked YOU to act as my secretary, |
should be dealing unfairly in letting
you eXpend your youth and spirits
on me and on my work. instead of on
the amusements and society lie which
was natural TO your age"
His very anxiety was making him
speak i'll a stiff, unusual fashion, but
the little clasped hands moved rest
lesslv at his words. II should have
loved the work"
The murmur was too soft for the
other to catch, and he went on slow
ly: Rightly or wrongly believed her.
| said TO myself: You are 4 poor
man and must work hard; but how
ever great the strain NAV be it must
never touch your wife. II you cannot
take her out yourself let your cousin
do so in your stead. let"
Don't talk like that-don't talk
like that" Madge had risen to her
feet and the words came with an ire
pressible sob. She waited u full min
ute and then added: at makes one
wish things had been different-al-
most"
When Challoner spoke again it was.
after long pause. when did you
cut this curl?"
ION your birthday" said Madge
with an effort TO speak easily. Il
brought her into your room, and she
was dressed all in white"
Il thought it was blue"
NO. John; all in white, with coral
beads"
"Ah, yes, to be sure. | remember.
The young rogue broke the string, and
you were so proud of her strength
that you would not have 1t mCnded."
and Challoner actually laughed at the
remembrance OF the scene.
"IOu took her in your arms" went
on AIadge bravely, and kissed this
very curl, and then you gave her back
tc me, and said"
She broke off suddenly; but though
Challoner' face was flaming as hotly
as her own he went on steadily; Il
said: God bless my wife and child,
and spare them to mefor many, many
years"
But baby died in the Autupn,
and"
In the int ense stiffness of the little
room John finished her sentence.
''And you are leaving me-" he said
hoarsely. "Ah, MadGe for baby sake,
give me half OF that curl"
Hergloves were OFF. and as she silently
leaned forward to loosen the silk that
held the pretty hair their hands
touched She drew back for a mo-
ment, looking at him piteously. and
the next, with n long sobbing cry, she
fell forward into mis- outstretched
arms.
1t was long trying night for many
people at that little snow-bOund sta
tion. The men worked hard to
clear the lines, but it was only
when the first gray glimmer Of
light was stealing over the darkaned
skies that they were able to pronounce
progress possible. The passengers IN
the waiting room-with the exception
of little chorister who was due at
the Abbey for the Christmas service,
and who vowed the delay to be ''capi-
tai fun"-had kept mp d perpetual
chorus of grumblings ard abuse: and
when the boy suggested they should
wish each other, "A Merry Christ
mas" there were but few who were in
sufficiently good spirits TO respond TO
his request.
But in the little room where the
station keeper had placed his two
most favored guests there was nothing
but deep thankfulness for the en-
forced wait. During the long night
hours, with only % tender men,
orv TO share their vigil, husband and
wife had grown very close to each 9TH
er. The long series of Jars and misun-
derstandings which had grown up from
their two several mistakes-from
Challoner' erroneous belief, that they
could follow two distinct and separate
courses and yet remain united, and
from Madge's half-wounded, half-de-
fiant pride, which forbade her TO take
the initiative IN drawing nearer to
each other-one and all they had
been discussed-discussed gravsly and
penitently as became two souls in
whom fresh hopes were springlng, and
who but for an apparently chance meet
ing would have broken with each other
forever. But when the sad reviewin,
OF their past failures was at an end,
and with full hearts they dared 10
speak OF a brighter and more trusttul
future, the tears that rose TO their